


Zeit Vergessene

by Childish_Hell



Category: Ao no Exorcist | Blue Exorcist
Genre: Additional Warnings Apply, Canon-Typical Violence, Deja Vu, F/M, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, M/M, Manipulation, Memory Loss, Other, POV Second Person, Parallel Universes, Strong Language, Time Loop, adult reader
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-11
Updated: 2020-04-24
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:16:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22216168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Childish_Hell/pseuds/Childish_Hell
Summary: You are an average 18-year-old living in an apartment in True Cross Academy Town alongside your familiar and enrolled in a cram school for exorcists, while also holding a full-time job at the True Cross Japan branch headquarters as an office worker. However, there is one problem... you've lost all of your memories! All you remember is waking up in a clock tower in the middle of Winter before making your way to True Cross Academy! You have gotten to where you are now all thanks to Mephisto Pheles, but you can't shake the feeling that you've met before, despite Mephisto stating otherwise; and what's with all of this Deja Vu?!Although your feelings for Sir Pheles begin to flourish, so do your suspicions.That devious grin, there's no mistaking it.What does he know?
Relationships: Mephisto Pheles/Reader
Comments: 10
Kudos: 47





	1. Kingdom in the Snow

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, this is a revised version of my fan fiction originally uploaded to DeviantART. Only the first chapter was submitted originally, so those of you who have read it still have a lot of fresh content to look forward to!  
> Thanks for reading my works. ~
> 
> EDIT: I fixed the weird spacing. I'm not yet used to the formatting of this website, so you'll have to excuse me. All future chapters shall not have weird paragraph breaks! ^^"  
> Archive Warnings are susceptible to change.

_All I remember is waking up in that old clock tower, hearing nothing but the sound of deep, echoing ticking, the clock's gears turning and grinding. The snow was falling in gentle, fluffy, white flakes all around me, fluttering through the cracks and gapes in the walls, melting as it hit my flesh. I remember getting up to see the outstretched city below, blanketed in white, the soft grey sky above, and in the distance... there was that beautiful castle-like structure that stood above all else, like a King watching over his Kingdom._

_In that moment, I knew nothing. I knew not of whom I was, where I had come from, or how I had ended up in the clock tower in the first place. All I knew in that moment, all I felt--besides the cold shiver from the frigid air--was that I needed to go to that towering edifice. Something about it pulled me, drew me in, like a moth to a flame._

_I could only hope that I wouldn't be as unfortunate as the moth, being led only to a certain demise._

~~~

_BEEP BEEP BEEP_

You groaned, shifting in your bed as you sent a glare at the alarm clock sitting on your nightstand. Without thinking about it, you hit the snooze button and turned over, pulling the blankets over your head. A little more sleep couldn't hurt.

_"(Name)..! (Name), wake up!"_

Your familiar pounced onto your resting form, earning a groan of protest from a sleepy you.

_"(Naaamee)! We gotta gooo!"_

You peered once again at your clock and it suddenly hit you:

Oh, right. _Work._

_"Come on, come on, come on!"_

"Alright, alright," you grumbled, slowly sitting up and rubbing your tired eyes.

Your familiar grinned in triumph, watching you yawn and shut off your alarm clock before getting up and stretching. You had given your familiar the name (familiar name), which you found really fitting. (He/She) was a/an (anything to your liking, go wild!), and was very reliable, especially with making sure you were up in the morning.

You groggily walked over to your kitchen area and started up your coffee brewer. You lived alone with your familiar in a small studio apartment in a complex exclusively for exorcists (due to obvious reasons, being familiars were allowed). It wasn't much, but you were grateful to have a place to stay, especially since the deposit fee and first six months of living here were all paid for by your boss, just until you gathered your bearings and began making a living. Right now, you were in month three.

As you waited for the coffee to brew, you gazed out the window, thinking about your dream. Ah yes, you were beginning to remember now, as you watched the late, wet snow of February flutter and melt upon hitting the pavement outside, some of it sticking to the grass like a damp powder.

You had dreamt of that parallel world again.

It was so strange to you, how often you dreamt of that place. You were at the clock tower, the earliest location you can remember, but you were standing outside it rather than in it. To add, it wasn't the same clock tower you had woken up in, the one you think about frequently whenever you try to recall your past or how you had gotten there, the one you visit often during your free days in hopes of finding answers. No, it was a very different clock tower, in a very different town, much smaller than the one you resided in. There was no True Cross Academy towering in the horizon, and there were never any coal tar floating about.

This had to have been your fifth dream of it.

Five dreams in three months.

_Damn._

Your hands clenched against the window sill they had been resting on, as you focused hard on the falling snow.

It was always _snowing_.

The coffee machine beeped, indicating it was finished, and your thoughts broke free. You just dumbly looked over at it for a moment, recollecting what reality was in that moment. You glanced over at your familiar, who was keeping busy cleaning him/herself, not paying any mind to your antics. You let out a light sigh and walked over to the counter to pour yourself a cup. As you did (and added whatever you normally would to the hot drink), you thought about the previous topic a little more.

You were only _used_ to the Winter season, after all. It's the only season you can recall any memories in, so it's only natural your dreams would take place in the snow, right? Spring would come soon, and maybe your dreams will follow suit. Of course, despite your severe memory loss, you still knew what would happen in the Spring. All the snow would melt, it would start to get warmer, the flowers and cherry blossoms will bloom, rain will come, then it will get even hotter in the Summer, then later Autumn would come, and then it will be Winter all over again soon after. It wasn't as though memory loss took _everything_ away. You remembered basic functions, how to work a coffee machine, how to use a smartphone, how to type on a computer. Things like that would be ingrained in your mind forever, unless you were to become a vegetable or something.

Basically, you were just starting a new life now, the only thing you could remember being your name.

You sat down with your coffee and took a sip, glaring out the window. You honestly couldn't wait until Spring would come.

~~~

"(Last Name), please file these documents for me," Kenji, a coworker, said as he handed you a folder.

"Right on it," you responded, only to be confronted by Kasumi.

"(Last Name), remember to send out those emails about the next scheduled meeting."

"Yes, of course, Miss Yamazaki."

"(Last Name)! I have some private matters to attend to and cannot finish this report on time! Can you-?"

"Yes, Mr. Satou!" you cut in, taking the files from him as another coworker bothered you with something else.

You were an office assistant at the True Cross Japan Branch Headquarters, probably the lowest position you could have (besides, perhaps, a custodian), and work was often very busy, and sometimes hectic. It was tiring, but you admitted that you enjoyed a fast-paced environment. Besides, even if it was stressful, you were grateful to have been given the position in the first place. You only had the bare minimum of qualifications for the job, but it was thanks to Sir Pheles that you were able to snag it.

In fact, a lot of things you have now are all thanks to him, even your familiar who napped under your desk while you were at work or helped you out at times. You wouldn't have been given the opportunity to summon one if it weren't for him. He had insisted at the time that you needed someone to be there with you to protect you, and what better than your own loyal familiar, right?

_Sir Pheles..._

Your mind wandered to him while you were working at your computer. It wasn't unusual for your thoughts to drift to him during work, or any other time, for that matter. You weren't sure what it was about him, why you would go about your own business and suddenly that demon would mysteriously be on your brain. Sometimes you think it might be because he's helped you so much since you... _arrived_ here. Better yet, you've considered the thought that it has some connection with the way your _first meeting_ played out.

...How he had a glint in his eyes that somehow implied you had already met before.

It was strange though, how the look in his eyes and the peculiar grin across his lips were the only implications he gave of such an idea. His actions and the way he spoke to you all said differently. You never bothered asking him about it, though. You both had busy schedules, which would soon become even busier with the school semester coming up, but at least then you would be around each other a lot more often. Although, another part of it was that you weren't certain how he'd react to such a question, and you additionally were not even certain of _yourself_. It was an odd thought, especially considering how much trouble he went through with helping you hunt down any traces of information or history under your name (of course, leading to no success), because if he had already met you, such trouble would obviously be unnecessary. So why would you even consider something crazy like that? Even as crazy as it seemed, it continued to bother you.

You sighed as you emailed some important documents to your manager. One of these days, you knew you would eventually have to ask Mephisto about it. It can't be that nerve-wracking, right? The worst that could happen is he would tell you 'No, we have never met.' ...But in addition, he could also think poorly of you for asking such a thing. You could come across as distrusting of him, and you didn't want that. It wasn't that you didn't trust him... you just wondered that if he _did_ actually know you in the past, maybe there was something between you that he wanted you to _forget_...

...

...Damn, there're those crazy thoughts again.

You internally groaned in spite of yourself, typing more furiously. How _dare_ you question Sir Pheles like that?! After all he's _done_ for you!

Your fingers stopped typing and began to twitch, and you let out a sigh and stood up to go have a coffee break. You just needed to clear your head and discard those thoughts.

After all, in your position now, it would be wise to stay on Mephisto's good side.

You were just thankful that Spring was coming soon. Maybe then, you'll discover something of your past.

~~~

"It's nice to meet you," the young instructor greeted the class. "I'm Yukio Okumura. I'll be your anti-demon pharmaceuticals instructor."

You were stunned beyond belief, glancing around at everyone in the room from your seat two rows behind two girls. Your familiar was ordered to not join you during your first week, so he/she was hanging out back at your apartment. Half-ignoring the teen further towards the front standing up abruptly and yelling at the instructor, a million thoughts began to race through your mind, thoughts you couldn't even comprehend. One thing was certain among all else, however:

_There was something strangely familiar about all of this, about everyone in this room, about everything that was happening._

It was as though you were watching a rerun of some show you hadn't seen since you were a kid. It had that exact sort of bewildering familiarity and Déjà Vu.

 _'This has happened before,'_ you thought, staring at the boy arguing with his brother--you knew they were brothers--while the other acted professional and didn't engage. ...And did you just hear him call that white terrier ' _Mephisto?!_ ' ...Strangely, even _that_ wasn't surprising.

After Mephisto explained something to the boy, he turned his head to glance back at you and--was that a _smirk?!_ Your eyebrow twitched as you gripped at your desk, gritting your teeth.

He _knows_ something, that _damn demon!_ You were _right_ to question him _after all!_

But this... this didn't make any _sense!_ How was it possible to recognize everyone here already?! To know _precisely_ what was about to happen--

 _'Rin... that's his name, right...?'_ you thought as Mr. Okumura spoke, staring at the teen. _'He's going to stand up and--'_

You flinched as Rin suddenly rose and slammed his palms against the desk where Yukio stood and yelled at him to explain himself.

You shivered as they argued about something also familiar. _'He's going to spill the blood, then-'_

The vial crashed to the floor and broke, then hobgoblins appeared and began attacking. As Yukio shot at them, he ordered everyone out of the room. You followed everyone out, not at all surprised when Rin slammed the door shut, staying inside with Yukio.

You began to hyperventilate a bit, standing off to the side. No one bothered with you, of course, assuming it was just your response to the sudden demon attack. Everything that was happening... all happened before.

_'What the actual_ hell _is going on here?!'_


	2. Scalding Hot Tea

_As I made my way into the building, I was greeted by several odd stares before someone sporting a silver-framed badge approached me asking me something in Japanese. Strangely, I understood every word, which confused me beyond belief, but I nodded in response that I was indeed alright, as dizzy as I was from the long trek through the snow. He held my back propped against his arm for support and I asked him to take me to the one who owned this building. Even though my words were in my native tongue, they sounded out as Japanese, and I felt this shit was too wack for me in my exhausted state to give even the slightest damn about it. However, I only after saying so realized that I had worded 'building' as 'castle.' The man glanced confusedly over to another man wearing the same badge before exchanging words I didn't catch in my state of being. The one holding me told me to come with him, then helped me up several flights of stairs and along many halls until we reached important-looking double doors. Upon opening the doors..._

_...I saw Him._

_It of course wouldn't make sense for me to know whom He was,_

_but I knew He was the one I was searching for, at the very moment we locked eyes._

_My memory of what happened before I blacked out on his floor is very hazy,_

_but I remember that grin._

_It was unmistakeable..._

_...He had been awaiting my arrival from the very beginning._

_~~~_

"Sir Pheles!" you exclaimed, pushing open his office doors and storming inside.

"(Name)!~" he greeted, "Long time no see!"

"What the _hell_ is going on?!"

You marched over to his desk, keeping your glare locked onto his gaze.

"You've got a _lot_ of explaining to do!"

He raised an eyebrow and smiled innocently. "I beg your pardon?"

"You were in that classroom too, so don't play coy with me!"

You seethed in a deep breath.

"Why... was it all so familiar...?"

As you spoke, Mephisto folded his hands and eyed you with an amused interest.

"Those kids... everything unfolding in front of me... it felt like... like..." You let out a weary sigh, looking up at the ceiling as it played through your head. "...Like watching a rerun of a TV show that I hadn't watched in forever..." You shook your head and watched him, hoping for him to understand; to give you some sort of clarity. That was the only way you could think of to explain what you had experienced. "Does that make sense...?"

His innocent smile stretched into a wicked grin, similar to the one he gave you when you two had first met.

"Hehehe..." he chuckled quietly under his breath, as though trying to hold it back. "Hehe... ahahah... hoo..."

You frowned. "What's so funny...?"

"Pf _fbt--!_ _**AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!** _"

His outburst was so sudden that you nearly lost balance, alarmed by how hysterical he suddenly sounded.

Mephisto clutched himself, his laughter soon dying down as he stood up, hunched over his desk. "(Name)..." he muttered, finally peering at you through the shadows cast by his hair. "You... _You're_ hilarious."

You glared at him, your cheeks tinted pink. “I'm not joking around here! I'm experiencing some serious Deja Vu! Hell, when I first got here, even _you_ were mysteriously familiar...!”

There was a spark of amusement and vague fear in Mephisto's shaded eyes for a moment, but you didn't notice, looking to the floor as you contemplated everything.

“I mean honestly, how do you explain that...? I feel it's only natural for me to be suspi--”

Before you could even blink, the demon stood looming before you, his arm catching you as you nearly fell backwards from his sudden closeness. Your eyes were filled with sudden fear as he glared deep into your soul, and it almost felt like a silent threat to your life.

“(Name)...” he cooed, cupping your cheek. “(Name), (Name), _(Name)_... Sweet, dear (Name)..... This could very well all just be your imagination... maybe you had a dream before losing your memory about a similar situation...? I mean...” He shrugged as he held you, smirking. “I'm not dismissing the possibility of you having a premonition...~”

You blinked, raising an eyebrow. “...Premonition...?”

He helped you to your feet and grinned. “You know, a vision of a future event. ~ Maybe none of this has ever happened... maybe you have an ability to see things before they take place?”

You thought about it for a moment. He could very well be right. You had no memory of having an ability like that, yet... then again, you barely had any memories at all. Maybe you had some sort of psychic ability...? Some humans do have it to a certain degree, after all... Maybe it wasn't Deja Vu after all... Sir Pheles didn't seem to remember a past between you two, either.

“Alright, maybe you're right, I'm sorry...” you sighed.

Your superior smiled and gently patted your head. “It's all right. I know you're going through a lot right now, and everything is so strange...”

His hands moved to your arms, and his touch made you feel a strange flutter in your chest.

“...But I'm here to help you...” His smile widened at your bodily reactions. “There is no need to feel suspicion.”

He lifted your chin to gaze into your eyes, and your body felt light as a feather in that moment.

“I am not your enemy...~” his voice was smooth and gentle, and you swore his lips nearly came close enough to yours to kiss you, but he pulled away, resting a gloved hand on your shoulder. “Now then! Now that we've cleared this fog...”

He gently pushed you, causing you to lose balance and plop down into a chair. You would be irritated by this if you hadn't been in so much shock from that interaction. Sir Pheles strode back to his desk and returned to his chair, pulling open a drawer and fingering through what sounded like files, then pulled out a set of papers. He straightened them out, then placed them out in front of you on the desk. Giving you a half smile, he slid a pen forward.

“If you will, I have some incomplete documents for you to fill out. ~”

You let out a small sigh and lifted the pen to read through the papers. That was the end of _that_ subject then, you supposed.

~~~

Later that evening, you tiredly shambled back into your apartment, earning a curious head tilt from your familiar. You retired to your bed and collapsed onto your backside with a heavy sigh. Today had been a rough day; having to work in the morning, going to cram classes afterwards, then that vexatious interaction with Mephisto... It was tiring enough having both work and school in the same day, but it was something you'd just eventually have to get used to... additionally establishing a study plan. You groaned, throwing your head back onto your pillow, and your familiar crawled up and nuzzled under your arm, concerned for you.

“Everything okay, (Name)?”

You peered down at him/her and smiled with a light sigh, petting their head.

“Yeah, just a long day, I guess...”

“Aww, let's relax, then!~”

You nodded and sunk back into your bed, deciding that was a good idea. Just a small nap before eating a small meal and getting ready for bed. You however stared up at the ceiling as you lay there, still thinking about the events of today. There was so much to process; the strange familiarity of what had taken place in that classroom, for example... Was what Sir Pheles told you actually true...? Could you somehow predict future events...?

It was very well possible, _yet..._

You then thought of the white terrier that had accompanied Rin Okumura. Although it wasn't immediately obvious, there was no mistake... that was definitely Mephisto. Given the verbal cues from Rin referring to the dog by his name and the necktie identical to your principal's, as well as there being the same familiar air about him, it was _most certainly_ Mephisto.

But why was this coming to mind _now_...?

It was already apparent that he had no opposition against your accusation of him being in the classroom, so he pretty much confirmed that it was him.

Your thoughts couldn't help but linger on the feeling that there was something really strange about his aura back then, however. By this point, you had realized you have somewhat of an ability to sense the vibes and auras of those around you, which is a common ability in sensitive individuals. Something about his seemed off, as though he was _aware_ of what you had been experiencing in that moment. The way he smirked, it's like he-

Your thoughts paused and your body shuddered.

_That **smirk**._

_He **knows** something._

You frowned and sat up, startling your familiar as you glared at the wall.

Your suspicions flared once again.

_That bastard **must** know something...!_

_Damn him..._

_**Damn him, he-** _

No...

You shook your thoughts away, grasping your head as you were getting a headache. He wouldn't lie to you... he wouldn't. After all he's done, after all he's helped you with...

_**You could be cold and lost on the streets without his help...** _

You breathed quickly but tried to compose yourself and gave your worried familiar a shaky pat on the head before standing up to go prepare some evening tea for yourself.

 _'Calm down...'_ you thought to yourself as you filled a teapot with water to heat on the stove.

_'Calm down... you've just had so much to process today that you can't think straight...'_

You crossed your arms as you waited for the tea to boil, tapping your fingers against your arm.

Your familiar watched you cautiously from a distance, feeling now wasn't the best time to bother you about what was wrong.

You looked outside to see the sun setting, breathing deeply and easing your anxiety.

_'It's all in your head... You can trust him... You **have** to... He's the only one who can help...'_

The tea then whistled loudly, and you rushed over, shutting off the stove and pouring the boiling water over the teabag into your cup, letting out one final sigh as you calmed down. After waiting for the tea to steep, you removed the bag and discarded it into the trash can, then brought your tea over to sit down in your lounging chair, setting it on the coffee table in front of you.

Once again, your brain began to analyze the exchanges of words and the interactions between you and Mephisto as you waited for the tea to cool, hoping to find something, _anything_ , that could clue you in on what he might know and what his true intentions were.

 _'He_ did _propose the idea that I may have the ability to have premonitions, so maybe he smirked at me because he could sense what I was feeling...? ...But then, why did he act like he didn't know what I was talking about when I confronted him...?'_

You sighed, shrugging it off as you lifted your tea, feeling it had cooled enough.

He was full of mysteries, anyway. Maybe he was just playing around.

You gently blew on the hot beverage before taking a small sip, then paused.

_'That look he gave me... when he leaned over me... what was that...? Why did he look so scary...?'_

You took another sip, hoping to calm your nerves.

_'It felt almost like a threat, but he wouldn't hurt me, would he...? He treated me so gently after that, though...'_

You blushed at the thought, hesitantly sipping again.

_'Then, after that, he-'_

You blushed more and your hands shook as you sipped, your thoughts drifting to how he touched your arms, and then he got so close it was almost like he was going to _k_ -

You sputtered out the sip you took, caught so off-guard that you dropped your tea and it splashed on your lap. You yelped in pain as the hot liquid burned you and the cup bounced off your knee, hit the table, and shattered on the hard wood floor, fiercely startling your familiar.

“ _FUCK!_ ” you groaned, rushing over to the kitchen to dry yourself with paper towels, then quickly slid off your uniform bottom and shirt and went to grab lounging clothes to change into. You would have to clean those before tomorrow... _great_. After putting on a sweatshirt, you grabbed an ice pack to hold against your burns before putting the pants on. You heaved a sigh as you let your flesh cool off, frustrated from your actions and flustered about what Mephisto had done.

Your familiar helped you clean up the mess and you thanked them, but your thoughts remained fixated on the demon.

_Damn that clown._

~~~

Meanwhile, Mephisto was sitting alone in his mansion home office, stroking his beard as he gazed in contemplation out the window into the twilight, watching as the last light descended below the horizon.

 _'How does she/he remember me...?'_ he pondered with a stern look on his face. _'Even if it's only a vague memory...'_

_The fact that (Name) had already recognized the events in the classroom was entertaining enough, **but this**..._

This was very troublesome. If (Name) could remember him, it wouldn't be long before she/he began remembering _more..._

He covered his mouth with his gloved hand as he focused hard on his thoughts, it now being completely dark outside. There was then a knock on the office door. Without even flinching, Mephisto's gaze remained dead set on the window as he responded, “Come in.”

Amaimon entered the room and looked at his brother from behind.

“You called me?”

Mephisto let out a sigh and shifted into a more relaxed position in his seat, not looking at his younger brother.

“I have an assignment for you, concerning (Name/Last Name), the human with the lost memories I recently took in.” He finally glanced back at him.

“Think you can handle it?”

The younger, green-haired demon looked on with no expression, tilting his head.

“What do you propose?”

Mephisto grinned devilishly.

“I need you to help me _pursuade_ (Name) that she/he can _trust_ _me_...~ That's the first step to keeping her/him in place.” He again gazed outside.

“I mustn't allow (Name) to dig any deeper into things best left _forgotten.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was the first chapter where characters finally start using ambiguous pronouns for you, which is rather difficult to execute in fan fiction, so please let me know if I made any mistakes anywhere.


	3. Raising Suspicion and a Near-Fatal Encounter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As you continue to struggle to balance work and school life, one of your classmates has begun to notice your reactions to your "premonitions," and decides to approach you. Later, beginning to question the point of your continued existence, you coincidentally run into a chance encounter that nearly ends your life, and Mephisto's intervention may just change your opinion on living.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry this took me longer to upload than last time. This is where the story begins to become a bit more graphic and possibly triggering, so if you're triggered by blood, low-key suicidal thoughts, broken bones, getting beaten up, or being called degrading words, please read with caution!  
> Thank you for your continued reading and enjoy!

A couple days later, you sat with a slouch in the seat at your desk in cram class, listening to one of your instructors, Mr. Adachi, drone on and on about ancient practices of Catholicism. It had been another long day at work, and you were again tired as hell, still getting used to the schedule and balancing schoolwork with your job. You stared at the clock ticking on the wall in a slow, steady rhythm, wishing it'd just go faster, as you found this subject particularly boring. Thoughts of Mephisto's interaction with you still plaguing your mind didn't help much, either...

You then heard snoring and glanced over to see Rin asleep at his desk while the new girl, Shiemi Moriyama (another oddly familiar face), watched him awkwardly. You honestly wished you were bold enough to pull that, feeling like you could use a nap yourself.

 _'Me too, Rin,'_ you thought with a sigh, resting your cheek on your fist. _'Me too...'_

“MR. OKUMURA!” Mr. Adachi snapped, pulling you out of your bored trance.

“SUKIYAKI?!” Rin exclaimed, jolting awake, to which a few classmates giggled in response, you nearly letting out a chuckle yourself.

As the instructor then gave him a stern lecture, you noticed the boy with rooster-like hair looking pissed. Ryuji Suguro, right? You internally groaned, as you shouldn't have known that yet. By this point, the fact that you knew too much about these people was rather annoying. You thought again back to what Mephisto had said.

 _'The gift of seeing premonitions...'_ you let out another sigh, gazing up at the ceiling. _'Seems more like a nuisance than anything...'_

Unbeknownst to you, the teen with messy pink hair, Renzo Shima, had been looking over at you as your attention was drawn away by your thoughts, noticing your odd reactions to things─actually, every day. For some reason, he had a strange feeling about you ever since the first class session. It piqued his curiosity, so he considered finally approaching you to get to know you.

After all, if there was something more to you underneath your innocent appearance, he would have to make sure it wasn't anything that would later get in the way of his mission.

~~~

Later after your classes were through, you walked out the front entrance, letting out a relieved sigh. Finally, your lessons were over with for today and you could return to your apartment to relax for a bit. Of course, you unfortunately still had homework to do, but at least you could be alone (except for the company of your familiar) for a while. So much social interaction in one day was certainly tiring, but it was something you'd have to eventually get used to.

The sun was still high in the sky, but you knew it would get dark soon. Might as well head straight home.

As you walked away, Renzo watched you from a distance, noticing you were leaving campus. Sure, it was true that some students lived off of campus, but he was too curious to let you slip away just yet. He glanced over at his friends who were chatting away and heading towards the dorms to turn in for the night.

“Hey, guys,” he spoke up, and they turned to look back at him. “I'll catch up with you later, I want to head to the convenience store real quick to pick up something.”

Ryuji raised a brow, but didn't think much of it. “Alright, just don't be gone too long, it's getting late.”

Renzo nodded with a smile in response. “Right! I won't be gone for long, see ya!” He waved, walking away.

You were unaware that someone had been following you, and you stopped by a vending machine, deciding you'd grab something to drink. You inserted some change, choosing your beverage, and when it dispensed, you grabbed it and proceeded to open it and take a sip.

“Hey there,” a voice suddenly broke in and you nearly sputtered out your drink, looking over to see a guy casually leaning against the machine beside you with a smirk.

“Oh whoops, didn't mean to scare ya! Heh...” He scratched his head, moving off the machine to stand.

You raised a brow as you wiped your mouth, but realized he was one of your classmates, Renzo Shima.

“Oh, Shim-” you cut yourself off, remembering you weren't supposed to know his name. “Uh, hi...!”

Shima's face twitched in subtle amusement for a short moment, catching your slip-up.

 _'Alright, definitely suspicious...'_ he thought. _'Probably safe to not let him/her know I caught onto that just now, though...'_

“Yeah, hey!”

You tilted your head a bit, wondering why he had approached you. “You're one of my classmates, right? Is there something you wanted?”

“Hm?” He blinked, but then smacked his head with a chuckle. “Oh right, haha! Where are my manners? I'm Renzo Shima. I was just wanting to get acquainted. I noticed you leaving school grounds. You live this way?”

You watched him carefully, not wanting to give this guy too much information, just in case. “Oh, my name is (name) (last name)! Nice to meet you! And yeah, I've got an apartment this way...” You internally cursed yourself, realizing you probably shouldn't have said that.

He raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching into a smirk, inching closer without you realizing. “Oh yeah? You older...?”

You frowned. This guy was asking way too many questions. What's it to him whether you were...??

“Er, n-no?” you stuttered a bit, your eyes shifting uncomfortably.

He watched you intently, knowing something was up here.

“I... My parents don't live in town, a-and... uh... they preferred I live in my own apartment...” You hoped that was a valid excuse. Wait... was this guy standing closer than just previously?!

Renzo had a thoughtful look in his eyes. “Oh? Is that so...?”

You backed away a bit. “Y.. Yeah, um... hey listen, it's getting late and I should really be-”

He blinked, realizing he might have been coming off as shady. “Oh, sorry! We might've gotten off on the wrong foot here...” He scratched his head awkwardly. “I ask too many questions sometimes... I'm just a curious guy, ya know? _Ahaha_!”

You laughed nervously. “Y.. Yeah, it's alright... uh, I... I guess I'll see you around, then...?”

He nodded, smiling. “Yeah, hopefully we can do better next time. I hope to get along with you better!”

You smiled back, sweating with a nod. “R-Right, me too...!”

“Heh, alright then!” He walked away, waving. “See ya in class!”

“Right, see you!” You waved back, then lowered your hand with a frown and turned away to head home.

Renzo glanced back at you heading down the sidewalk and frowned with furrowed brows. Either you were just really strange or there really was something fishy going on. He thought about how you had sounded as though you almost said his name. Did you just hear it from someone...? That could have been the case, but something about it didn't sit well with him.

He sighed, folding his arms behind his head and heading back to the academy, looking up at the now warm-colored sky.

_'If something really is up with (last name)-san that'll get in the way... what a pain that'd be...'_

“Heh.” He smirked to himself. “Mephisto's got some explaining to do...”

You quickly paced towards your apartment, hugging your books close to your body. Your heart was pounding.

_What the hell was that all about?_

Little to your knowledge, a certain green-haired demon was eyeing you from the treetops, gnawing on a lollipop. As he watched you disappear down the road, he crunched the hard candy between his teeth in frustration then let out a “hmph” and leaped away.

_'That pink-haired human got in the way. How annoying...'_

~~~

The following day, you arrived at the academy after work in your school uniform, stretching a bit and letting out a sigh, feeling a bit groggy. You had managed to _just_ finish your assignment before passing out at your desk last night. Despite having drank like three cups of coffee today, you were still tired, especially due to work having been rather hectic today.

 _'Sure hope today is easy...'_ you thought with a yawn.

However, you then remembered today was the day you'd have PE and have to learn how to deal with Reapers, those giant man-eating frogs. You let out a groan, definitely not in the mood for exercise.

“Ah well...” you sighed with a shrug. “If I die today, at least I won't have to deal with any of this anymore, _ahahaha_...”

It was a bad joke, of course; but even so, having a life flooded with an excessive amount of work with no family or friends (the closest being Mephisto) and not even knowing who you were or where you came from was overwhelming. You shook those thoughts away, not wanting to get depressed. That Shima guy acted really strange, but maybe he could be a possible candidate? Although, you kind of wanted to be friends with Rin Okumura too, and his brother doesn't seem bad, either. Also, if you made some friends, you wouldn't feel so alone.

_Guess that's a reason to live, right?_

Just then, you heard a sudden loud rustling nearby, leading you to look off into the distant forest beyond campus. There was a flash of movement that caught your attention, and you were curious to see what it was. It certainly didn't look like an animal. It was tempting, but curiosity killed the cat, right? Mephisto told you it was dangerous to leave campus except to go home or walk around town where other people were.

It was probably something you wouldn't want to mess with.

You shrugged it off and continued on to class. It only took you a few steps before pausing and looking over again, feeling as though something was pulling you. The urge to satisfy your curiosity was _killing_ you, which was probably dangerous, but you couldn't push it away.

Maybe one peek couldn't hurt? You could always turn back, anyway.

Also, you would miss that dreaded PE class and you could probably make it back in time for your other classes to turn in your assignments.

You swallowed your fears and took a deep breath, heading towards the woods.

Meanwhile, from high above, Mephisto watched you from his office window, seeing you walking into the woods. He grinned deviously as all was so far going according to plan. He picked up his phone and dialed someone, waiting for them to pick up. When said person answered, Mephisto spoke in a casual, professional tone.

“Mr. Okumura. ~ I just wanted to inform you that (Name) (Last name) won't make it to cram school today. He/She already contacted me, and is not feeling well. Please excuse the late assignments this time. Thank you. ~”

After the conversation ended, he hung up and let out a content sigh, pouring some tea for himself. Sipping it, he let out a sigh and gazed again out the window.

“Might as well check on Amaimon's progress after finishing this tea...~”

You tread through the thick brush, searching around for the source of the sound, beginning to second guess your decision.

 _'What the hell am I doing...? This is ridiculous... I'm beyond the school's barrier, and for all I know, I could be hunting down a_ demon _or something...!'_

You knew demons usually preferred to come out at night, but it was still risky. Anything was possible, and it was rather dark in the forest compared to the outside. Another loud rustling nearby broke you from your thoughts, startling you. You took a deep breath before inching towards it to inspect further, but before you could get any closer, a raven screamed a harsh, ear-piercing caw and flapped out of the bush in such a panic that it almost flew into your face. You shrieked and recoiled, stumbling over and falling on your behind. You let out an “oof” as you landed, looking up as the alarmed bird cried and took flight to the skies above the trees, as though desperate to get away from something.

Not typically a good sign.

Your breathing and heart rate picked up in pace as your eyes darted again at the shrubbery, fearing the worst.

Suddenly, a voice broke in, “What a pathetic sound that was.”

Your breathing cut abruptly, glancing around in search of the source of the voice. Before you could even ask who was there, someone dropped from above, landing right in front of you with a thud strong enough to shake the earth around you. You shrieked once again, reeling back on your hands and legs, your eyes meeting with two piercing gold orbs. The figure stood, glaring down at you.

“Still pathetic.” He put a hand on his hip, looking bored. “Is that the only sound you can make?”

You then squinted, now getting a better look at him. He seemed about average height and dressed like a teenager who had just walked out of Hot Topic, even having hair abnormally colored green and what looked like black eyeliner under his tired eyes. But there was obviously something off about him, similar to the vibe you got from Mephisto, albeit more aggressive. Obviously a demon. To top it off, there was a strange spike atop his head.

_Wait a minute..._

You furrowed your brows as the person standing before you was yet another familiar face.

“Hey, wait a second!” you exclaimed, pointing at him.

He raised a brow curiously. “Oh, so you _do_ speak...” Judging by the way he was looking at you, he was rather annoyed at you pointing at him.

You scuttled to your feet, now standing. “I know you...! We've met somewhere before!”

The oddly dressed boy then narrowed his eyes. “What the hell are you talking about? You're really starting to get on my nerves, y'know...?” He was obviously irritated beyond hell for some reason, but his voice was monotone, which was rather intimidating, if you were being honest.

You frowned, thinking about it for a moment. _'Wait, that's right... no one here remembers me at all... Maybe he was another premonition? Yet...'_ You studied him a moment as he began losing patience. _'It's just like the feeling I have around Mephisto... As though we had met somewhere before...'_ You then began to realize that the familiarity about this guy and Mephisto were way different than the familiarity you felt about everyone else.

That feeling... raised suspicion once again.

If that were the case, were Mephisto and this guy─Amaimon was his name, that's right─both keeping some innocent facade to cover something up...?

“Well...?” he growled impatiently. “Are you _ignoring_ me...?”

You glared at him. “Are you _certain_ we don't know each other?”

He scowled, walking towards you slowly and getting angry. “ _Of course_ I don't know you! I'd remember a human as annoying as _you_...”

You backed away a little, but stopped, not ready to run from this. You put on a brave face and took a deep breath, glaring straight into his eyes. “Amaimon.”

What you said made him pause a moment with widened eyes, caught off-guard.

“Your name... is _Amaimon_.”

Amaimon stood there silently, puzzled by your statement. He soon shook it off, however, looking more angry than before. “Don't think you can fool me... My older brother must have told you that.”

You furrowed your eyebrows, confused. “Wait, ' _brother_ '...?” Then it hit you. “Oh! You're Mephisto's brother, aren't you?”

He glared threateningly at you, now standing directly in front of you. “Don't play _stupid_.” He pushed you, effortlessly knocking you into a tree. You let out a broken cry as the air was knocked out of you, and you fell at the base of the trunk, coughing and gasping to breathe.

Amaimon approached you and loomed above you, his eyes piercing through you. “Do you take me for a _fool_...? Let that be a _warning_... Grovel and lick my boots, and I _might_ just let this go...”

You trembled in pain, trying to sit up, and returned his glare. “The _hell_... is _wrong with you_...?” Your voice was weak but your tongue still sharp. “I simply recognize you from somewhere... How is that any reason to attack me, asshole?”

He narrowed his eyes, unamused. Without a word, he stepped on your hand, crushing it with a twist of his boot.

You cried out in pain, seething through your teeth.

The demon leaned down, staring at you blankly. “I don't really like your attitude. It's not wise to defy me, y'know.”

A growl escaped your lips, “Idiot, I don't _care_ about you...! What do you have against me, _anyway_? Why are you even _here_ if we've never met...?”

He tilted his head, showing no change in expression. “Why are _you_ here...? Shouldn't you be in _school_ with the rest of your _pathetic species_...?” He stood straight again, removing his foot from your hand, but it made no difference to your dismay, finding it was broken.

“You just annoy the hell out of me... So I simply felt I should put you in your place.”

His boot shoved your face to the ground sideways and you groaned, irritated by him but scared beyond belief, knowing he could easily pop your face like a bubble.

You glared up at him from the ground, swallowing your fears again in that moment. “Honestly... _fuck you_... If I annoy you... _so much_... why... don't you just... leave me here...? I did absolutely nothing... to insult you...”

Without warning, Amaimon kicked you like a football into yet another tree, and you groaned in immense pain, again struggling for air as you lay helplessly on the ground, shaking and coughing up blood. Pretty certain he broke something or shattered a few ribs. Possibly both.

You wheezed weakly as he walked up to you. “Because humans who defy me _really_ get on my nerves. Besides...” He stopped in front of you, staring menacingly. “...sparing humans is pointless. This world is overpopulated and decaying because of you parasites... Killing _one_ human makes no difference.”

In one swift motion, he snatched you up by the neck and slammed you into the tree, glaring blankly into your soul as he choked you, and you coughed and hopelessly fought to breathe, feeling an unimaginable amount of pain.

“Tell me a good reason why I shouldn't just end your meaningless existence right now...” he said flatly, as though none of this even mattered to him.

You felt this was the end of you anyway, and you thought about it a moment. What was even the point in begging for him to spare you? What did it matter whether you lived or not?

_No one would even miss you._

“H...Honest..ly...” you choked out, already feeling your life escaping you. “There... r...eally... is... no point..... If I... die here... y...you're right... it won't... make a difference...”

The green-haired demon raised a short eyebrow, frowning.

“Well, that definitely wasn't the response I was expecting... How _boring_...”

Just then, you both flinched as someone landed on the ground a short distance behind Amaimon.

“ _ **Amaimon**_ **!** ” a familiar voice barked. “That's _**enough**_ **!** ”

You both looked over to see Mephisto standing there looking beyond furious, and Amaimon loosened his grip on you.

“Big bro...!”

He let you fall to the forest floor, and you coughed and grasped your neck, feeling like your throat was on fire.

“Attacking one of my _students_...?” He growled, walking closer.

The younger demon frowned in confusion and backed slowly from him. “I... I apologize, Brother. It won't happen again...” He knew Mephisto was going to be the “hero” and intervene, but he didn't seem to be following the plan. He wasn't supposed to be _this angry_ , was he...?

You watched, feeling like you could lose consciousness at any minute as your vision began to blur. You were thankful Mephisto was here, but you were confused as to what was going on.

“Not only is (Name) one of my students, but also an _important_ person to me...” He approached Amaimon with a look that could kill. “So stay away from him/her, or I'll _end you_.”

You looked over at him, feeling a bit of a flutter in your chest, but still puzzled.

_'Important...? **Me**...?'_

Amaimon gulped and backed away further. “O-Of course, brother... I... won't lay a finger on (Name).” He was bewildered by the vibe he was getting from his elder sibling.

_This wasn't scripted at all... He was **serious**..._

Getting a bad feeling in his gut, he leaped up to the trees. “I'll just be leaving, then!” He quickly made himself scarce.

Mephisto scowled in his direction, then walked over to you and knelt beside you.

“(Name)...?” He caressed your cheek, his voice a gentle coo. “Are you alright...? Please say something...”

Your vision blurred more as you gazed up at him and the pain you felt was unbearable, but you felt content in his arms. _Safe_...

“M...ephis...to...” you murmured, feeling something strangely deep for him in that moment, realizing that someone actually cares about you. “I.....”

You then passed out as he held you, and he shook you gently.

“(Name)...! Stay with me...!” He checked your pulse, and felt relief as it was still in working order, but he noticed how much damage you endured and cringed at it.

_'Damn that Amaimon... I'll punish him **severely** for this...'_

Mephisto lifted you carefully and snapped his fingers, teleporting with you to the infirmary.


	4. Forbidden Key

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After your encounter with Amaimon, you wake up in the infirmary with no memory of the incident. In exchange, however, you have a dream that has possibly provided a NEW memory?! Mephisto on the other hand, doesn't seem too thrilled by the news, nor what Amaimon had to say regarding the encounter... Although, despite the rising apprehension, he can't help but grow even more interested in you.  
> And now, he can no longer hold back.

“ _So this is it, huh?”_

_The boy accompanying you stared up at the towering structure before you._

“ _Yes... it's just like I remember...” you mused, feeling a sense of nostalgia._

_He shrugged, expressing indifference. “It's just some old, run-down clock tower. I don't really see the appeal.”_

_You pouted, sending him a glare. “This place was a part of my childhood that's been a vague memory in the back of my mind for years. I never had a chance to visit it as a kid, only saw it in the distance towering above everything, and I wanted to finally see it in person for myself.” You crossed your arms and huffed. “The least you could do is show some support for me.”_

_Your friend looked at you, and his face was a blur, but you could tell he raised an eyebrow. “I mean, I_ did _agree to come with you... What more do you want?”_

_You smirked. “Climb the tower with me!”_

_He groaned, “(Name), you can't be serious... We could get into trouble, and who knows if that old thing is even stable!”_

_Letting out a chuckle, you walked towards it. “Relax! There's a staircase through the entrance, and who the hell will even see us this late?”_

_The boy put a hand on his hip and sighed, “Oh, so_ that's _why you wanted to go at night... Whatever, do what you want, but don't say I didn't warn you.”_

_You glanced back at him. “So you aren't coming? You're such a scaredy cat!”_

_He rolled his eyes and simply shook his head dismissively. “Just don't take too long! It's freezing out and I don't wanna stay out all night!” He rubbed his arms, hugging himself for warmth._

“ _Sure, whatever!” You were only half listening as you went in and began climbing._

_After a short moment, he called out, “Don't do anything stupid! I don't want to be responsible for your disappearance!”_

_You smirked and ignored him, ascending higher._

_He sighed to himself. “Why did you choose such a cold night like this, you idiot...?” He looked around, making sure no one was around who might call the cops on you two._

_Once you reached the top, you gawked around in awe, seeing the turning gears behind the clock and the echoing ticking. You had a great view of the town below through the openings, as well. It was magnificent._

'This is so awesome...' _you thought to yourself._ 'Sooo glad I came...'

_You decided to inspect the gears closer, seeing how the mechanism worked. Then, upon closer inspection, something caught your eye. In the center of all the turning gears, there was a glowing white orb of light. Curious, you searched for the safest way to get your arm through to grab it, just to see what it was. Luckily, there was an opening wide enough to easily reach in without getting your arm caught between the gears. You took a deep breath, sticking your hand through. Slowly, you moved it closer and closer to the orb, then grabbed it after short hesitation._

“ _Urghk...!” A strange, painful wave shot through you, and you immediately tried to pull away, but it was as though your hand was stuck to the thing. Your eyes widened as the pain had subsided, but it now felt like you were being sucked in further. Whimpering, you grabbed onto your arm and desperately tried to pull it away, but you went in further and further. Now both of your arms were inside of this thing, and the light seemed to grow in size. You soon realized all of you was about to be sucked in, and you let out a scream, helplessly calling out to your friend._

_From below, the boy's line of vision shot up to the top of the tower. “(Name)?!”_

_The only response he got was more screaming._

“ _(NAME)!!”_

_He began running towards the structure._

_You continued to struggle, and to your horror, your face was now entering as the orb grew bigger and brighter._

_Your friend heard one final cry before halting to a sudden stop as he gaped at the sight of a bright light shooting out through the glass of the clocks on all four sides, whose ticking hands now spun madly as the beams cast out over the village, and all around, all the streetlights burst, and the power of every building shut off like a wave, all lights burning out one after another further and further into the distance._

_His heart pounded, glancing around, then back up at the tower. “Wh...What the **fuck?!** ” _

_He could hear sirens in a state of emergency from a distance away as he witnessed the beams from the clocks slowly dissipate. He stood in confusion for a moment before his concern for his friend returned, sprinting for the entrance as he called out for you, climbing up the spiraling staircase. Once he reached the top, he stopped short, glancing around in bewilderment as you were nowhere to be found._

“ _(Name?!)” He panicked, searching around. “(Name)!! (NAME)!?”_

_After looking everywhere, he panted as he searched the openings of the walls, dreading that you may have fallen. Feeling a mix of relief but deep concern, your body hadn't fallen to the ground below._

_The bigger problem remained, however: **You were gone without a trace.**_

_Tears welling up in his eyes, he breathed deeply, grasping his chest as his heart felt ready to burst. “Y..You idiot... I... I **told** you this... was a...” He grasped his head, so distraught he couldn't even finish his sentence. He let out a scream._

“ _ **(NAAAME)!!** ”_

_~~_

You shot awake, panting as beads of sweat covered your skin. Your vision slowly adjusted, taking in your surroundings. The first thing you noticed was an oxygen mask clouded up with steam from your breathing. Knowing you could breathe just fine, you took it off your face, and then noticed your arm was connected by a tube to a pack of insulin. Confused, you attempted to sit up, but everything hurt like hell as you did so. You hissed in pain, but managed to prop yourself up against some pillows. You then looked down, noticing some bandages. You lifted the blanket covering you and the bandages covered your entire abdomen, including a white cast over your ribs. You soon gathered that you were in the school infirmary, and more confusion arose.

_'What the hell happened...?'_

You couldn't recall, probably due to your throbbing headache...

_...or the fact that your thoughts were more focused on that strange dream you had._

Who was that person with you? His face was unidentifiable, but you knew in your heart that he had to have been a friend of yours.

_...and that **clock tower**..._

Was it the same one you awoke in...? Maybe it would be a good idea to investigate again with this new information in mind...?

...But, more importantly...

_**Someone knows you...** _

The realization hit you suddenly and a million thoughts began to race through your mind. If someone _knows_ you, that means he might have answers as to whom you were in your past! Just who _was_ this person, though? You had to seek him out somehow... But _how_...?

As you thought about it, you looked around the room a little more and spotted a bouquet of flowers in a vase on the table next to your cot. Curious, you carefully reached over to read the tag:

_To my dearest (Name)~_

_Love, Mephisto <3_

You blushed as your eyebrows laced in confusion.

_'”Love”...? “Dearest”...?!'_

Weren't such words reserved for _lovers_? You didn't think you were quite on _that level_ in your relationship with him... Although, he _does_ seem to be oddly gushy in his letters addressed to other people, and this was no different. Probably wasn't anything significant. You let out a small sigh.

 _'But what if it was...?'_ Your hands fidgeted with the white sheet covering you as your face was dusted in rose pink. _'The flowers are beautiful too...'_

Gazing at the flowers a bit longer brought on a sudden thought, putting two and two together.

_'Wait a minute... **Mephisto**!'_

You jolted forward in your bed, earning a sharp pain that shot through your body. You winced, but your mind was more focused on the matter at hand.

_'Mephisto...! That's it! I bet he would know what to do about this! Maybe he can help me find my friend!'_

You felt a wave of confidence as you attempted to clench your fist with a hopeful grin, but then your hand stung like pins and needles as you found you couldn't even move it since it was in a cast.

“Ugh, what the hell...!” You seethed, looking at it. “What part of my body _didn't_ get damaged...?!” Thinking more on it, you gazed absently up at the ceiling.

“Come to think of it... what even _happened_...?” For some reason, you couldn't recall no matter how hard you tried.

Must have hit your head _just right_ , whatever it was.

~~~

“ _GHK-_!” Amaimon's back was knocked into the cold, hard wall with a loud thud, cracking the bricks that held it together. Having already taken quite the beating, he landed on his behind and coughed up a decent amount of blood. Promptly, he wiped his mouth and shot a glare at his elder sibling, who snarled back.

“You went _**way**_ _too far_ this time, Amaimon! I'd have you sent back to _Gehenna_ if I didn't need you for testing Rin's abilities...”

“I DID WHAT _YOU_ _ **SAID,**_ _**SAMAEL**_ _!”_ the younger demon retorted with a loud bark, before leaping back to his feet and charging at him, having taken enough abuse. “I ATTACKED THAT HUMAN _JUST SO YOU COULD PLAY THE_ _ **HERO**_ _...!_ ”

Before he could land a hit, Mephisto snapped his fingers, and large spears suddenly shot from the cellar wall and floor, impaling the demon's body. Amaimon roared in immense pain, blood dripping from his lips and the flesh that had been torn open. Without a single hair of sympathy, the taller demon came closer and yanked his brother's head to look up at him.

“Did I even _ONCE_ tell you to _**hurt**_ (him/her)...?” His emerald eyes pierced through his gold eyes like daggers. “My precious human is _**hospitalized**_ because of **you**...” Pure malice poured from his lips upon the last word.

Amaimon only bore his fangs with a low growl. “(He/She) really _pissed me off_ more than I _planned_ to be!”

Mephisto returned the growl as he dug his nails into the other demon's neck, making him wince. “ _How_... could (Name) piss you off _so bad_ that you nearly _**slaughtered**_ (him/her)?!”

“All of that _**bullshit**_ that spewed from that mouth...” Amaimon grumbled. “Acting all high and mighty and _defying_ me... even going as far as to _pretend we'd_ _ **met**_ _somewhere_ or some shit...”

Mephisto paused a moment, yet another vague flicker of fear in his eyes. “... _What_?”

The younger brother scowled. “Don't act like you _don't know_...! Why did you tell them who I was...?! It totally ruined what I was going for...”

“...I _**didn't**_...” he said almost absently, his eyes stared off into space as his thoughts drifted elsewhere.

Amaimon scoffed, furrowing his brows. “Give me a _**break**_ _already_! You expect me to follow your orders _exactly_ if you're going to play these stupid _mind games_ with me...?!”

The older demon grabbed his face again, glaring sternly. “You're _certain_ (Name) claimed to have _met you before_ , rather than just simply _knowing your name_...?”

He gave him a confused look. “...Yeah? They were _super persistent_ , too... It was _annoying_.”

Mephisto let go of him, covering his mouth in thought. The feeling (Name) had wasn't just about _he himself,_ but _Amaimon_ as well... Something strange was brewing here, and it _didn't_ smell good.

He backed off from his younger brother without a word, then turned to leave. In response, Amaimon's eyes widened in further anger and confusion.

“Where are you _**going**_?!”

Without looking back, he made his way towards the stairs leading up to his mansion's main floor. “You've given me all the information I need, so just hang out here a while.”

“ _ **WHAT**_?! YOU CAN'T JUST _LEAVE ME HERE LIKE_ _ **THIS**_...! _SAMAEL_...! _**SAMAEL**_!!”

Once upstairs, Mephisto locked the door to the cellar and let out a sigh, still deep in thought.

 _'(Name) recognizes us_ both _as people (he/she) had **met before**... rather than simply recognizing names or predicting events like with the others...'_

He ran his fingers through his hair, inhaling deeply as he pushed away from the cellar door and paced down the hall.

_'That's... That shouldn't be **possible**...! If (Name) keeps remembering more and more, at this rate...-'_

The demon king nearly slammed his fist into a wall, but he stopped himself, grasping his wrist as his fist clenched tightly. No, he did not even want to _consider_ what might happen.

_But how was he going to handle this...?_

_What would be the best measure to take here...?_

Mephisto rubbed his temples and let out a deep sigh. (Name) will be out of the infirmary in two to three days, and he could speak to you in his office then.

~~~

A few days passed, and you were finally ready to head back to work and school. A few people had concernedly inquired about what had happened to you. You assured them that you were fine, and made up a story about getting hit by a car since you couldn't remember, anyway. Your familiar had been ecstatic to see you when you returned home alive, and had stayed close to you all day during work, rubbing up against your legs or helping you with anything that it could. You were appreciative to have such a loyal familiar like (familiar name), and only wished (he/she) had been with you during the incident—of course, not have gotten hurt—so (he/she) could have told you what happened. You wondered if Mephisto knew about the incident, since he had brought you a bouquet, so you decided you would meet with him in his office after cram classes to ask about it. In addition, you hoped that he could possibly help you seek out your friend that you had remembered in your dream. It was a long-shot, but you were determined to reunite with him and rekindle your memories, if all went well. You took a deep breath as you typed out a report for work that was made easier than usual for you since you could only type with one hand, anticipating your meeting with your superior this evening.

After school had finished, you collected your thoughts as you paced down the hallway towards Mephisto's office, ensuring you would remember what to discuss with him. It was an odd coincidence that he had requested you meet with him as well, which meant he was available, so that was a good thing. On the other hand, you weren't certain what it was he wanted to speak with you about. Maybe it was about the incident? That would definitely save your breath and leave room for discussion on your other inquiry, but there was also the chance that it was something that would distract your thoughts, so you had to stay focused on what you needed to talk about.

You inhaled deeply as you stopped in front of his office doors, then exhaled before knocking.

“Come in.”

His tone seemed vaguely stern and somehow gave you subtle anxiety, and you had a feeling this wasn't about what had happened to you. You kept your head held high, however, not wanting to get sidetracked. You calmly opened the door and entered to see him with his hands folded in front of his mouth, not looking horribly pleased.

“Have a seat, (Name).”

No greeting from him whatsoever. That wasn't a pleasant sign, but you tried not to linger on it, keeping your cool composure as you took a seat in a chair in front of his desk. You made sure to keep eye contact with him as you sat down, and you took silent note of the look in his eyes, expressing a mix of frustration, slight apprehension, and uncertainty as he stared you down. Hidden from you behind his desk, his leg was shaking up and down, not a common manner for him.

“Y-You called me, Sir-?”

“(Name)...” he cut you off with a glare. “I need to discuss something serious with you...”

You tensed, but balled your one unbroken hand, not backing down. “Forgive my interruption, Sir Faust, but there's something I wish to speak with you about as well, so I'll need to converse further with you afterwards!”

Mephisto stared without emotion at you for a moment, raising a brow, ignoring the formality. What topic could you possibly want to bring up at a time like this...? It then clicked in his brain, realizing it might be about the incident. He let out a sigh. “...If it's about why you were admitted to the infirmary, that's still under investigation, so I have no answer for you at the moment.”

You frowned, but nodded your head in understanding. “Alright, thanks anyway...” You were disappointed you gained no new information, but hopeful that you could bring up the other topic later and actually get somewhere with it.

The headmaster cleared his throat. “Anyway, what I called you in for is to discuss your... 'special gifts'...”

You tilted your head, taking a moment to process his words. “Huh..? ...Oh! My premonitions?”

Mephisto nodded, looking over some notes he recorded about you, not letting you see them while remaining subtle about it. “Precisely...” He covered up the sheet with another irrelevant document and shifted a bit in his chair, leaning a little closer over his desk as he held his gaze on you.

“(Name)... is there... anything else you've noticed about your 'gifts'...?” He kept a serious expression, patiently awaiting your response.

You were caught off-guard by his question, but then thought of what you wanted to bring up.

“Actually, sir... That's another thing I wanted to speak to you about...”

There was a spark of shock and interest in his eyes, not expecting you to have wanted to talk about that, as well. Although, he feared suddenly, it might be about your familiarity with...- No. No, it couldn't be. You had forgotten about the incident. He had ensured it.

_So... what, then?_

“Is that so...? Please, do tell.” He eyed you intently as he listened to what you had to say.

You shifted a bit in your seat, fidgeting with your uniform as his eyes were locked on you.

“U-Um, well... I... had a dream last night, and...”

Mephisto's fingers began to fidget.

“...Well, I saw the clock tower I've been dreaming about again, but... there were more details.”

He raised an eyebrow. “ _'Clock tower'_...? I... don't believe you've ever told me about your dreams...” This made him nervous, but he hoped that you meant the one you awoke in.

“...Oh, right! Sorry...” you sighed, having to explain more than you had planned. “Ever since I lost my memory, I've been dreaming about this clock tower... It was snowing all around, just like the one I woke up in, but... there was something different about it. Like, I thought maybe it was the one here in True Cross Academy Town, but the more I think about it, it seems to have been somewhere else...”

The demon's eyes widened as he listened, his heart nearly stopping, but he let you continue, tapping his finger as his nerves were unusually high.

“That was all I remembered... until I woke up in the infirmary. I remembered a bit more...”

Mephisto's thoughts began to race. You weren't _supposed to_ remember _more_... Better yet, you weren't supposed to remember _anything at all_.

_'(Name) must have hit his/her head just right back in the woods... **Dammit, Amaimon**...'_

This was _bad_... **_What_** _**else**_ could you have _possibly_ remembered?

You took a deep breath, continuing. “Someone was there with me this time...”

A cold sweat formed on Mephisto as he watched you cautiously.

“He seemed to be a friend of mine. It was late and we were visiting the tower. I wanted to explore out of curiosity, but he stayed behind telling me that we could get into trouble if we got caught. I... went in anyway, and climbed a spiraling staircase to reach the top. Inside was... exceptionally beautiful...” You paused to think for a moment. “Oh! I also mentioned to him that it was a clock tower I had memories of seeing as a child but never got to visit... So it must have taken place in the town I grew up in...?”

The headmaster remained silent, still fidgeting his fingers as he held his patience.

“Anyway, while I was inside, I was listening to the ticking and watching the gears, fascinated by how it functioned since I really like clocks a lot...~”

A slight smile spread across the demon's lips as he listened, finding it somewhat amusing how much you liked clocks. The sparkle in your eyes while describing it was absolutely adorable. He rested a cheek on his half closed fist as you went into detail about it. Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing that you remembered more about the tower.....

“...But then...” the excitement dropped a bit from your expression. “Something... strange happened...”

Mephisto's smile then dropped as well, no longer thrilled.

_'Oh no...-'_

“There was this... glowing orb in the center of the turning gears... and I, in curiosity, reached through to grab it. It was like... something about it attracted me... I couldn't help myself...”

 _'No... no, no, no-'_ Mephisto's fist clenched, dropping down to the desk as his body tensed.

“Before I knew it... A strange, painful wave shot through my veins, and I was being sucked in...! I tried to pull away, but I couldn't...! It was like the more I struggled, the faster I was pulled inside!”

_' **NO**...! You're NOT supposed to remember this...!'_

Your heart picked up in pace as you recalled the events in your dream. “I screamed for help... and I think my friend heard me. He began rushing over to the tower, but it was too late! I was sucked completely inside! Then... _then_...-!”

“Then _**what**_?!” Mephisto blurted, and you were surprised that he seemed to really be getting into this.

“W-Well, a bright light suddenly shot through each side of the tower through the glass of the clocks...! It was so bright that they shot across the _whole town_...!”

His hands were shaking as he heard this, feeling deep dread.

_'How... **How** did you...-?!'_

“The hands of the clocks were spinning like _**crazy**_!” You panted, gripping onto the edge of your seat with your unbroken hand. “Almost immediately, the streetlights _burst_ , and as the lights shot across the town, all the power in the buildings went out like a _huge wave_ , further and further into the distance...! There were sirens echoing in a state of emergency, and my friend was so shocked and confused, but he still ran in after me... but I was **_already_** _**gone**_...”

Mephisto's eyes narrowed into a bewildered glare that you didn't take notice of.

 _'How... in the name of **Gehenna**... did you even _see _through the POV of **someone else**...?!'_

“He... he was so _distraught_...” Tears began forming in your eyes. “He... I think he _really cared_ about me...” Your hands were shaking as you tried holding back from crying.

Mephisto covered his mouth with his hand, his eyes shifting around as he stared down at his desk, trying to grasp all of this.

 _'This is **more** than just "a **bit** ," (Name)...' _He panted silently. _'How... could you even **remember**...?'_ He stared at you in wonder and horror, feeling _threatened_ somehow. _'I did everything **right**...! No human should be able to...-'_

You saw how deep in thought Mephisto appeared to be, along with the really odd look he was giving you. Did he possibly have an idea about this...? Maybe he really _could_ help you find your friend?!

He stared into your eyes, his filled with fear, yet _extreme interest_.

 _' **Just**_ **what** **are** **you** _**, (Name) (Last Name)**...?'_

“S-So, um...!” You spoke, looking down at your lap and hoping this request wasn't too much of a burden. “Because of the fact that I remember someone who knows me...”

Mephisto frowned, rising from his seat to stand. You didn't see since your eyes shied away as you spoke.

“I was wondering if maybe... you know, you could help me find my fr—”

When your eyes returned to him, you flinched in shock as he was in front of your seat suddenly. Slowly, you looked up to meet his gaze but he leaned over you and firmly covered your mouth, his emerald eyes piercing you through the shadows cast by his hair. Your heart nearly stopped, your life feeling even _more_ threatened than the last time you had an interaction with him like this.

“(Name)...” He smirked, but there was a vague sense of anger in his eyes. “(Name), (Name), _(Name)_... Do you even realize...” His other hand gently caressed your cheek, his thumb stroking some of your hair. “...How _**ridiculous**_ you sound...?~”

Your eyes widened with a furrow of your brows in disbelief from what he said, but even he seemed to pause after and rethink his wording.

He cleared his throat, speaking in a gentler tone, “...No, not _ridiculous_ , my apologies...”

You noticed his hands trembling just the slightest, and you were filled with more confusion.

“I... well...” He forced his trembling to stop as his eyes shifted to the side, considering what to say next. “...I understand that you... had a dream that _felt_ realistic... But... how can you be so _certain_ that this boy even _exists_...?”

He uncovered your mouth and you frowned at him, holding your ground. “I... I'm _sure_ of it...! It... It was in the _same place_ I keep dreaming about! It felt... I-I felt in my **heart** that it was a familiar event...!”

Mephisto held onto your shoulders, keeping a grin plastered on his face. “But it was a _dream_ , (Name)! You cannot be _completely sure_ this place or person are even _real_...!”

You glared at him. “So?! I can't be _completely sure_ they _don't_ exist, either...!”

The principal let out a sigh, his hands dropping down to the arms of the chair you sat in. “(Name)... How do you even suppose we could _find_ such a place or person...? Do you even remember the _name_ of either of them...? Do you even recall what this 'friend' _looks like_...?”

You continued to glare before looking back down at your lap, letting out a sigh. “Well, no... His face was blurred out...”

Mephisto lifted your chin, giving you a comforting smile. “Exactly my point...~ Why would you _waste your time_ looking for something you know _nothing about_ , other than what a _dream_ told you...?”

You looked dejected for a moment, but then gave him an angered look again and pushed his hand away. “That doesn't mean we shouldn't _try_!”

Mephisto narrowed his eyes with a scowl. “(Name)... don't be so _na_ _ï_ _ve_! It's going to be nearly _impossible_ to search for this city or person! I'm sorry, but I just don't have the time to fool around and help you seek out something _unsearchable_! Sure, if you somehow find _more information_ -”

 _'Which, I_ doubt _you will...'_ he reassured himself.

“-then I will see about helping you... But as of _right now_ , there isn't much I can do...”

You bit your lip in frustration, looking away for a moment. “... _Fine_!” you growled, pushing him to stand up from your chair. He stood up from his lean as well, having an unamused expression as you tried to walk away. “If _you_ won't help me with this, then I'll try to find him mysel-”

Mephisto grabbed your wrist, glaring sternly. “ **I** _**forbid**_ **it**.”

You flinched, looking at him in disbelief.

“I'm _not_ just going to let you, a valuable student, embark on some journey to find this... _unknown entity_! It could be _dangerous_... you know _nothing_ about him or that place! Suppose he _does_ exist... how do you know if he'll even _remember you_?”

You felt a small pain in your chest suddenly, beginning to doubt yourself. What if he was right...? No one _else_ remembers you... how did you even wind up in this city, _anyway_...? What if...-

“...Or, even _worse_...!” he continued, smiling a bit on the inside as it appeared he was convincing you. “What if this man isn't even your _friend at all_...? For all you know, your dream could be _wrong_...”

You furrowed your eyebrows in response, feeling suddenly that there was more to this.

“He may have been your friend in your _dream_ , but sometimes people have dreams where they get people mixed up and their brains will put _someone else_ in their place instead! You never know, (Name)... this 'friend' could actually be a _threat_ to-”

“Mephisto?” You interrupted, looking him straight in the eyes. “Are you perhaps... _jealous_?”

His eyes widened just a bit, staring dumbfounded. Of all accusations, he hadn't expected that. No, _of course_ he wasn't jealous of him. That boy would have _no possible way_ of finding you, anyway. He wondered, though, if you were starting to see through his _other_ intentions.

Mephisto then chuckled. “No, of course not!~ Why ever would you think _that?_ ~”

The suggestive look he then gave you put a small blush on your face, and your eyes shifted away. “N-No reason...” You couldn't deny, however, that your past interactions with him could be considered evidence enough, but it was foolish to jump to conclusions. “...It just sounded that way...”

The handsome demon then grinned, holding your chin to look up at him. “(Name)...~”

Your heart fluttered as he said your name in such a tone that sounded... _romantic_?

He gazed deeply into your eyes, brushing some of your (h/c) locks aside. “I am most certainly not _jealous_ of someone I don't even know is _real_... But, even so...” He leaned closer to you, and your heart rate picked up in pace as his tone lowered in a soothing manner. “All matters aside, you are a _very_ attractive human being... remarkably _gorgeous_...~ As such, I would hate for you to endanger yourself...”

Mephisto lifted your hand and kissed the back of it. Your heart pounded madly as the blush in your cheeks reddened. He smirked from your reaction.

“Also...~” He cupped your cheek, his face merely inches from yours. “...You are _too_ _precious_ of a person...~ I just want to keep you safe... with _me_...~”

Your beating organ nearly leaped out of your chest as you trembled, unable to take your eyes off his. “M...Mephisto, I...-”

He suddenly pulled you into a kiss, holding the back of your head in his palm, and your chest felt ready to burst as your face flushed a deep crimson. Your lips were shaky, but you slowly gave in and kissed him back, closing your eyes and wrapping your arms around his neck. Mephisto grinned into the kiss, pulling you closer to him. You were unlike any human he'd ever met. There was something _special_ about you, and he knew he had chosen well.

He was absolutely certain now... he would _never_ let you go.

He would continue to keep you here... all to _himself_.

When he broke from the kiss, you gasped softly, gazing into his eyes before leaning into his chest, shakily embracing him. You still didn't entirely grasp your feelings for him, but all you knew was, you wanted to be with him. You wanted to stay with him. You slowly began to understand, he wasn't trying to _harm_ you... Mephisto just wanted to _protect_ you...

Now, you wondered as you held onto him more tightly.

Despite being a demon, maybe he was **_in_** _**love**_ with you...

...and _maybe_...

You blushed, still panting after that kiss.

...Maybe what you felt was _**love**_ , _too_...

Mephisto gazed down at you as you buried your face into him. It was adorable, as though you were a small child clinging to him for safety. He smiled as he pet your head gently. It was obvious you already had feelings for him, which made everything much easier...

_'I'll **never** let you leave, (Name)...~'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys! Hope you're enjoying the series so far. It took me a bit longer this time since I've been working on other writing and art projects as well, including a very dark Amaimon x Fem!Reader I'll be uploading soon! I wouldn't recommend it to ALL of my readers, but if you can handle triggering/dark themes well, I encourage you to give it a read once it's posted! So, stay tuned!  
> (I'm still continuing this series too, dw ;) )  
> Also, as I've been writing this story, putting "(he/she)" has been vaguely bugging me, so I try to use it as little as possible. The reason being, it kind of disrupts the flow of sentences and additionally seems restrictive in a way, since there are people (such as myself) who go by they/them. I'm not HORRIBLY bothered writing it (and I do have ANOTHER fan fic I've started with a non-binary reader insert), but I sort of wanted to get my viewers opinions on it. Should I use something different like "(pronoun)," or is it okay as is?   
> Again, thanks for reading! <3
> 
> PS- I hope the use of the word "gorgeous" didn't bother any of my masc readers... ^^" I thought maybe it was close enough to being gender-neutral, and I wanted to use something more personal than just "attractive."  
> PSS- I'm not great at titling chapters, so I hope these all don't sound too obscure... XD


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